Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)
Encyclopedia
"Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)", originally titled "Been and Gone and Done It", is one of Swedish
pop group ABBA
's biggest disco
hits. It was recorded and released in 1979 with "The King Has Lost His Crown" as the B-side
. It appears on ABBA's Greatest Hits Vol. 2
album, as well as their best-selling ABBA Gold
album.
and Björn Ulvaeus
, with the lead vocal sung by Agnetha Fältskog
. Agnetha, as the narrator, weaves the image of a lonely young woman who longs for a romantic relationship and views her loneliness as a forbidding darkness of night, even drawing parallels to how the happy endings of movie stars are so different from her own existence. Some people believe though that she is slipping into insanity and will do anything to get romance, even if it means a one night stand.
The song was recorded at Polar Music Studios in Stockholm, Sweden, in August 1979, and was ready for release in October of that year, in conjunction with the group's tour of North America and Europe.
Originally, ABBA had recorded another song, "Rubber Ball Man", which was planned as a single. It featured the typical "ABBA-arrangement" with both Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad
on lead vocals and the use of classical strings. This song was also performed by the group during rehearsals for its current tour as "Under My Sun". However, the group felt that "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!", with its disco sound, would be a better choice, and thus, "Rubber Ball Man" remained nothing more than a demo.
and Canada
in an edited format, being just 3:36 in length. This was done by removing the first half of the opening instrumental, the first four of the eight bars of the instrumental bridge between the second and final chorus, and fading the song out early. It is believed the edit was done by Atlantic
, ABBA's North American record label, and not Polar, hence the reason why it was available only in the USA and Canada. This single version has never appeared on any commercial CD issued by Polar/Universal to date, and marked the only time Atlantic
ever commercially released an edited version of an ABBA single while they had the North American rights to release ABBA recordings.
version of the song. The song was released as a single to promote Gracias Por La Música in Latin America and other Spanish-speaking countries.
The single was never released by Polar Music in the group's native Sweden, instead being featured on the "Greatest Hits Volume 2" album, which did get a Swedish release. While Polar released the single in neighbouring Norway, Denmark, and Finland, copies of these versions were not made available in the Swedish record stores, who thus arranged to import copies of the United Kingdom version on Epic Records. Sales of these imports were sufficient for the single to reach number 16 on the sales chart in Sweden.
, Finland
, France
, Ireland
, and Switzerland
, while reaching the Top 3 in Austria
, Germany
, Great Britain
, The Netherlands, and Norway
. It also proved to be ABBA's most successful song in Japan
, hitting #17.
cover versions.
When the single came out in the winter of 1999 in Sweden, it earned a Gold certification
.
It also became their third top ten hit there and the band's third top 40 hit in Germany
.
The song peaked at number 51 in Switzerland
, number 27 in the Netherlands
, number 20 in Mexico
, and number 22 in Argentina
and Chile
.
"Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" was recorded in Spanish for the Latin America
n promotion that started in early 2000.
The video starts with the boys entering a warehouse
, where they find a crystal ball. Inside, there is an "alternate world" where they perform the song.
The video had high rotation on several music channels, but it was not as successful as the first singles.
The version of the song used on the video is the Radio Version, which is shorter and includes different beats and sounds to the album version.
European maxi CD
Mexican CD single
Japanese maxi CD
1 Track CD
, Jenifer Bartoli
and Carine Haddadou, three of the contestants. This version went straight to number-one in France, disloging Star Academy's previous hit, "La Musique (Angelica)
", and stayed atop for two weeks.
by American
actress Amanda Seyfried
. Unlike the original stage version, Seyfried sings the complete song as a solo performance.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
pop group ABBA
ABBA
ABBA was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1970 which consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog...
's biggest disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
hits. It was recorded and released in 1979 with "The King Has Lost His Crown" as the B-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
. It appears on ABBA's Greatest Hits Vol. 2
Greatest Hits Vol. 2 (ABBA album)
Greatest Hits Vol. 2 is a compilation album by Swedish pop group ABBA, released in October 1979 to coincide with their tour of North America and Europe...
album, as well as their best-selling ABBA Gold
ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits
Gold: Greatest Hits is a compilation album of recordings by Swedish pop group ABBA. It was released on September 21, 1992 through PolyGram, the first compilation to be released after the company had acquired Polar Music and thus the rights to the ABBA back catalogue. In 1998, PolyGram was in turn...
album.
History
"Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man after Midnight)" was written by Benny AnderssonBenny Andersson
Göran Bror "Benny" Andersson is a Swedish musician, composer, a former member of the Swedish musical group ABBA , and co-composer of the musicals Chess, Kristina från Duvemåla, and Mamma Mia!...
and Björn Ulvaeus
Björn Ulvaeus
Björn Kristian Ulvaeus is a Swedish songwriter, composer, musician, writer, producer, a former member of the Swedish musical group ABBA , and co-composer of the musicals Chess, Kristina från Duvemåla, and Mamma Mia!...
, with the lead vocal sung by Agnetha Fältskog
Agnetha Fältskog
Agnetha Åse Fältskog is a Swedish recording artist. She achieved success in Sweden after the release of her début album Agnetha Fältskog in 1968, and reached international stardom as a member of the pop group ABBA, which to date has sold over 375 million records worldwide, making it the fourth...
. Agnetha, as the narrator, weaves the image of a lonely young woman who longs for a romantic relationship and views her loneliness as a forbidding darkness of night, even drawing parallels to how the happy endings of movie stars are so different from her own existence. Some people believe though that she is slipping into insanity and will do anything to get romance, even if it means a one night stand.
The song was recorded at Polar Music Studios in Stockholm, Sweden, in August 1979, and was ready for release in October of that year, in conjunction with the group's tour of North America and Europe.
Originally, ABBA had recorded another song, "Rubber Ball Man", which was planned as a single. It featured the typical "ABBA-arrangement" with both Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad
Anni-Frid Lyngstad
Anni-Frid Prinzessin Reuss von Plauen , is a Norwegian-born Swedish pop singer...
on lead vocals and the use of classical strings. This song was also performed by the group during rehearsals for its current tour as "Under My Sun". However, the group felt that "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!", with its disco sound, would be a better choice, and thus, "Rubber Ball Man" remained nothing more than a demo.
Single Version
The single version of this song, which was released in its full length of 4:46 everywhere else in the world, was released in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in an edited format, being just 3:36 in length. This was done by removing the first half of the opening instrumental, the first four of the eight bars of the instrumental bridge between the second and final chorus, and fading the song out early. It is believed the edit was done by Atlantic
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
, ABBA's North American record label, and not Polar, hence the reason why it was available only in the USA and Canada. This single version has never appeared on any commercial CD issued by Polar/Universal to date, and marked the only time Atlantic
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
ever commercially released an edited version of an ABBA single while they had the North American rights to release ABBA recordings.
Spanish Version
"¡Dame! ¡Dame! ¡Dame!" is the Spanish languageSpanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
version of the song. The song was released as a single to promote Gracias Por La Música in Latin America and other Spanish-speaking countries.
The single was never released by Polar Music in the group's native Sweden, instead being featured on the "Greatest Hits Volume 2" album, which did get a Swedish release. While Polar released the single in neighbouring Norway, Denmark, and Finland, copies of these versions were not made available in the Swedish record stores, who thus arranged to import copies of the United Kingdom version on Epic Records. Sales of these imports were sufficient for the single to reach number 16 on the sales chart in Sweden.
Reception
"Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" was another highly successful song for ABBA. It hit #1 in BelgiumBelgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, while reaching the Top 3 in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
, Great Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, The Netherlands, and Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. It also proved to be ABBA's most successful song in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, hitting #17.
Chart positions
| Chart (1979) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
8 |
| Austrian Singles Chart Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... |
2 |
| Belgian Singles Chart | 1 |
| British Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
3 |
| Dutch Singles Chart Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
2 |
| Finnish Singles Chart | 1 |
| French Singles Chart | 1 |
| German Singles Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
3 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
1 |
| Japanese Singles Chart | 17 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 15 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... |
2 |
| Swedish Singles Chart Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
16 |
| Swiss Singles Chart Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
1 |
A-Teens version
"Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" was A-Teens' third single (fourth in other territories) from their first album The ABBA Generation, a collection of ABBAABBA
ABBA was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1970 which consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog...
cover versions.
When the single came out in the winter of 1999 in Sweden, it earned a Gold certification
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
.
It also became their third top ten hit there and the band's third top 40 hit in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
The song peaked at number 51 in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, number 27 in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, number 20 in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, and number 22 in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
.
"Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" was recorded in Spanish for the Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
n promotion that started in early 2000.
Music video
The music video was directed by Sebastian Reed, and it was filmed in Sweden.The video starts with the boys entering a warehouse
Warehouse
A warehouse is a commercial building for storage of goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial areas of cities and towns. They usually have loading docks to load and unload...
, where they find a crystal ball. Inside, there is an "alternate world" where they perform the song.
The video had high rotation on several music channels, but it was not as successful as the first singles.
The version of the song used on the video is the Radio Version, which is shorter and includes different beats and sounds to the album version.
Releases
European 2-track CD single- "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" [Radio version] - 3:45
- "A*Teens Medley" [Pierre J's Radio Mix] - 3:54
European maxi CD
- "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" [Radio version] - 3:45
- "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" [Extended version] - 6:02
- "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" [Earthbound Late Show Remix] - 5:04
- "A*Teens Medley" [Pierre J's Full Length Mix] - 8:19
Mexican CD single
- "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" [Radio version] - 3:45
- "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" [Spanish version] - 3:43
Japanese maxi CD
- "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" [Radio version] - 3:45
- "A*Teens Medley" [Pierre J's Radio Mix] - 3:54
- "Mamma Mia" [Spanish version] - 3:46
- "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" [Spanish version] - 3:43
1 Track CD
- "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" [Radio version] - 3:45
Star Academy France version
In 2001, the song was successfully covered by the first edition of the French TV reality show Star Academy 1. The song was credited to Olivia RuizOlivia Ruiz
Olivia Blanc known as Olivia Ruiz is a female French pop singer of partial Spanish origin belonging to the nouvelle chanson genre.-Biography:...
, Jenifer Bartoli
Jenifer Bartoli
Jenifer Yaël Dadouche-Bartoli , better known as simply Jenifer, is a pop singer who has, since 2002, had a number of hit singles in the French, Belgium and Swiss charts...
and Carine Haddadou, three of the contestants. This version went straight to number-one in France, disloging Star Academy's previous hit, "La Musique (Angelica)
La Musique (Angelica)
"La Musique " is a 2001 song recorded by the contestants of the first edition of French TV reality show Star Academy. The song was released as a single in December 2001 from the album L'Album and also recorded in a live version on the album Live...
", and stayed atop for two weeks.
Track listings
CD single- "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" — 3:30
- "Brigitte Bardot" (remix edit) by Jean-Pascal Lacoste — 3:01
Charts
| Chart (2002) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart | 11 |
| French SNEP Singles Chart | 1 |
Film version
"Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" was the first single released from the soundtrack for the 2008 film version of Mamma Mia!Mamma Mia! (film)
Mamma Mia! is a 2008 musical/romantic comedy film adapted from the 1999 West End/2001 Broadway musical of the same name, based on the songs of successful pop group ABBA, with additional music composed by ABBA member Benny Andersson...
by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress Amanda Seyfried
Amanda Seyfried
Amanda Michelle Seyfried is an American actress, singer-songwriter and former child model. She began her career as a child model when she was 11, and at 15 began her career as an actress, starting off with uncredited roles and moving on to recurring roles on As the World Turns and All My...
. Unlike the original stage version, Seyfried sings the complete song as a solo performance.
Notable covers
- An instrumental electronicaElectronicaElectronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
cover of the song by Motor Industries can be found on the album The Electronic Tribute to ABBA. - British electronic band O.V.N.I also recorded its own rendition of the song.
- The song was covered by the band Eldissa on its album What A Difference.
- Dance versions have been recorded by various artists including: Angeleyes on its 1999 album ABBADance, Marmic on the compilation Lay All Your Love On ABBA, DJ Ensamble on its 2006 Trancing Queen tribute album, Rio & Mars, and Mito featuring NaymiNoemí CarriónNoemí Carrión Pérez, is a Spanish singer , dancer and actress, known also as Naymi and Noemí. Her work encompasses studio recording, songwriting, live performance and television presenting.-Biography:Background...
. - The famous guitar virtuoso Yngwie Malmsteen released a metal version of the song, titled "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (Your Love after Midnight)" from the compilation album Anthology: 1994-1999. The song features minor changes to the lyrics and the melody features a more powerful metal feel. Malmsteen plays an arpeggiated version of the main theme in his version, and has added guitar solos in the instrumental bridge.
- German alternative band Bananafishbones covered the song with slightly altered lyrics.
- Vietnamese-American singer, Christine Thuy Huong, recorded her version of the song for her album, Men Say Tinh Ai. In her version, Huong sings part of the song in English, and part in Vietnamese.
- A Cantonese version entitled 心向上 was performed by Hong Kong singer Teresa Cheung Tak Lan.
- In 1980, a Mandarin version entitled Annoying Autumn Wind (惱人的秋風) hit Taiwan, performed by pop singer Lingfeng Gao. Later, in the late 1980s, it was introduced into mainland China by a Chinese American singer Kris Phillips (Fei XiangFei XiangFei Xiang is a Chinese-American pop icon and musical singer.-Early life:...
). - In 1984, The Sisters of MercyThe Sisters of MercyThe Sisters of Mercy are an English rock band that formed in 1980. After achieving early underground fame in UK, the band had their commercial breakthrough in mid-1980s and sustained it until the early 1990s, when they stopped releasing new recorded output in protest against their record company...
covered the song several times as part of their live set. - In 1986, British synthpopSynthpopSynthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
duo ErasureErasureErasure are an English synthpop duo, consisting of songwriter and keyboardist Vince Clarke and singer Andy Bell. Erasure entered the music scene in 1985 with their debut single "Who Needs Love Like That"...
released a faithful coverCover versionIn popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
as the B-side to their 12" single "Oh L'amourOh L'amour"Oh L'amour" is a song by English synth pop duo Erasure, released in April 1986 as their third single.It was issued by Mute Records in the UK and Sire Records in the U.S. to herald the June release of Erasure's debut album Wonderland, but became the third consecutive commercial failure for the band...
". Erasure would go on to record a further EP of ABBA songsAbba-esqueAbba-esque is an EP by Erasure. It scored their first number one on the UK singles chart with the release in 1992. Always big fans of the Swedish quartet ABBA, performing various songs in concert for years, Erasure released this four-song covers EP, which was originally intended as a full...
. - In 1986, the song was also covered and released in two different mixes on 12" singles by the Swedish rock band The Leather NunLeather NunThe Leather Nun were a Swedish rock group. Careening from garage rock to goth and industrial, Leather Nun became cult heroes in their native land...
. - In 1997, the San Francisco Gay Men's ChorusSan Francisco Gay Men's ChorusThe San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus is the world's first openly gay chorus, one of its largest and the group most often credited with creating the LGBT choral movement....
recorded a cover of the song for its album ExtrABBAganza!. - In 1998, punk rockPunk rockPunk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band Attaque 77Attaque 77Attaque 77 is an Argentine rock group formed in 1987.-History:Formed in 1987 as a group of friends who got together to play their favorite songs, most of them by The Ramones, their favorite band and the one that influenced them the most...
made a cover for its tribute album Otras Canciones; called "Dame, Dame, Dame" (Spanish for Gimme ! Gimme Gimme!) the version was in Spanish but featured different lyrics than the original Spanish version by ABBA. - In 1999, a version of the song performed by singer/actress Denise Van OutenDenise van OutenDenise van Outen is an English actress, singer and television presenter. Her most notable roles to date are as a presenter on The Big Breakfast, and as Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago on both the West End and on Broadway.- Early life :Born Denise Kathleen Outen in Basildon, Essex, she is the...
was included on the British AbbamaniaABBAmaniaABBAmania is a tribute album to Swedish pop band ABBA, released in 1999. It followed an ITV programme of the same name and featured various British and Irish artists covering ABBA songs.-Track listing:# "Money, Money, Money" – Madness...
tribute album. Van Outen was also the host of the Abbamania TV special. On the subsequent ABBAMania 2 album, from 2004, which featured covers performed by various British TV stars, the song was performed by actress Julie Forsyth. - In 2000, the song was covered by Swedish metal band Black IngvarsBlack IngvarsBlack Ingvars is a Swedish humorist heavy metal group. Black Ingvars is famous for cover versions of songs from other musical styles, like pop, children's song, "dansband" music, Christmas songs and gospel...
on its album Kid's Super Hits. - In 2001, another heavy metal version of the song is the track by Finnish power/speed metal band SinergySinergySinergy was a Finnish power metal band started in 1998 by American musician, Kimberly Goss. Aside from Sinergy, the most notable bands Goss has been involved with are Dimmu Borgir; as keyboardist, and Children of Bodom; where she filled in live for Janne Wirman and also contributed lyrics...
from the ABBAMetal tribute album (also released as A Tribute to ABBAA Tribute to ABBA-External links:* on Nuclear Blast...
). - In 2001, as a B-side to its single "Gimme Back My Brain", the Northern Irish rock band Therapy?Therapy?Therapy? is an alternative metal band from Northern Ireland. The band was formed in 1989 by guitarist–vocalist Andy Cairns from Ballyclare and drummer-vocalist Fyfe Ewing from Larne, Northern Ireland. The band initially recorded their first demo with Cairns filling in on bass guitar...
recorded a cover version. - In 2004, Swedish musician Nils Landgren included a cover on his tribute album Funky ABBA.
- In 2004, a duet version by German heavy metal vocalist Doro PeschDoro (musician)Dorothee Pesch , popularly known as Doro Pesch or Doro, is a female rock vocalist, formerly of the German heavy metal band Warlock ....
and comedian Dirk BachDirk BachDirk Bach is a German television comedy actor, best known as Pepe in the German version of Sesamstraße and as an actor in television series Lukas.-Life:...
was featured on the German ABBA Mania album (released in conjunction with a TV special on RTL TelevisionRTL TelevisionRtl.de' redirects here. For other uses, see RTL.RTL Television , or simply RTL, is a German commercial television station distributed via cable and satellite along with DVB-T , in larger population centres...
. - In 2004, on the tribute album Abbalicious performed by various American drag queens, the song was covered by Hedda Lettuce.
- In November 2004, the French-Techhouse project Shana Vanguarde covered the song, eliminating most of the lyrics and retaining a looped sample at the end of the chorus before the eight-bar instrumental.
- In 2004, a cover by Swedish goth metal band BeseechBeseechBeseech was the name of a Gothic metal band from Borås, Sweden. The group has disbanded and have actually formed two other bands, TWDSO and The Mary Major.-This is an official statement from BESEECH:...
can be found on its album Souls HighwaySouls HighwaySouls Highway is Beseech's third album, released in 2002 by Napalm Records. The CD features 11 tracks.-Track listing:# "Illusionate"# "Between the Lines"# "Souls Highway"# "Blinded"# "Endless Waters"# "Fiction City"# "Sunset 28"...
. - In 2006, a cover of the song by Sawa Kobayashi can be found on the chill out musicChill out musicChill out music is an umbrella term for several styles of electronic music characterized by their mellow style and mid-tempo beats — "chill" being derived from a slang injunction to "relax."Chill out music emerged in the early and mid-1990s in "chill rooms" at dance clubs, where relaxing music...
compilation ABBA Chill Out. - In 2006, a cover of the song by FinnishFinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
a cappellaA cappellaA cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
choral ensemble RajatonRajatonRajaton is a Finnish a cappella ensemble, founded in Helsinki in 1997. The Finnish word rajaton means "boundless", to indicate the breadth of their repertoire, from sacred classical to near Europop...
can be found on its ABBA tribute album Rajaton Sings ABBA With Lahti Symphony Orchestra. - In 2007, Swedish goth rock band Funhouse covered the song on its EPExtended playAn EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
Don't Wanna Know Me. An audio sample can be heard on their official MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
page. - In 2008, the song was covered in a jazzJazzJazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
/lounge musicLounge musicLounge music is a retrospective description of music popular in the 1950s and 1960s. It is a type of mood music meant to evoke in the listeners the feeling of being in a place — a jungle, an island paradise, outer space, et cetera — other than where they are listening to it...
style by American group BNB on its album Bossa Mia: Songs of ABBA. - In 2008, Spanish singer EdurneEdurneEdurne García Almagro better known as Edurne is a Spanish pop singer. She came sixth in the fourth edition of the Spanish television series Operación Triunfo in 2005.She is the girlfriend of Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea.-Discography:...
covered the song in Spanish as Dame, Dame, Dame Amor Esta Noche for her album Première. - In 2008, Canadian singer Damhnait DoyleDamhnait DoyleDamhnait Doyle [DAV-net] is a Canadian pop singer. The phonetic spelling of her first name also serves as the title of her 2003 album. Her most recent album, Lights Down Low, is a collection of covers...
covered the song on her album of cover songs, Lights Down Low. - Tribute group Abbacadabra released numerous dance cover remixes of the song through Almighty RecordsAlmighty RecordsAlmighty Records is a British recording label and remix production team founded in 1989, releasing their first single in the same year. Producing mainly Dance-Pop and Hi-NRG music, the label is best known for releasing remakes and remixes of mainstream pop songs...
in the late 1990s. Mixes of the group's cover version were most recently included on the its 2008 compilation We Love ABBA: The Mamma Mia Dance Compilation. Audio samples can be heard on the official Almighty Records website. - Indie artist Bangobang recorded a cover of the song.
- Idol 2008Idol 2008The fifth season of Swedish Idol premiered on September 3, 2008 and continued until its grand finale on 12 December, when 22-year-old Kevin Borg was crowned winner. It was the first season to feature new judges Laila Bagge, Anders Bagge and Andreas Carlsson, a move that made it the first Idol...
winner Kevin BorgKevin BorgKevin James Borg is a Maltese pop singer who lives and works in Sweden. Borg rose to musical fame as the winner of the fifth series of the Swedish singing competition Idol in 2008...
sang his version on the Top 9 final performance show and also a studio version was released on the Idol 2008 best of cast recording, replacing "gimme a man after midnight" with "gimme your love after midnight". - In 2010, the Spanish folk metalFolk metalFolk metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music that developed in Europe during the 1990s. As the name suggests, the genre is a fusion of heavy metal with traditional folk music...
band Mago de OzMägo de OzMägo de Oz is a Spanish folk/heavy metal band from Begoña, Madrid formed in mid-1988 by drummer Txus di Fellatio. In 1992, the band were finalists in the Villa de Madrid contest. Then, they went onto achieve great success in Spain, and in 1995, were declared Revolution Rock Band...
covered the song as a B-side for its single "Que el Viento Sople a tu Favor".
Live cover performances
- The song is one of the major numbers in the Mamma Mia!Mamma Mia!Mamma Mia! is a stage musical written by British playwright Catherine Johnson, based on the songs of ABBA, composed by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, former members of the band. Although the title of the musical is taken from the group's 1975 chart-topper "Mamma Mia", the plot is fictional, not...
musical and movieMamma Mia! (film)Mamma Mia! is a 2008 musical/romantic comedy film adapted from the 1999 West End/2001 Broadway musical of the same name, based on the songs of successful pop group ABBA, with additional music composed by ABBA member Benny Andersson...
. In the context of the musical, the song is sung by Sophie's friends at the hen party when they notice the fathers and dance with them. Throughout the song in little intermissions, the fathers question Sophie as to why they are invited to the island. At the end of the song, Bill (One of the three of Sophie's potential fathers) talks to Sophie about his great aunt leaving Donna money in her will. Bill then realizes that he could be Sophie's father. - The X FactorThe X Factor (UK)The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
girl band Hope sang the song with interjections of Madonna's "Hung UpHung Up"Hung Up" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was written and produced in collaboration with Stuart Price, and released as the first single from her tenth studio album, Confessions on a Dance Floor. Initially used in a number of television advertisements and serials, the song was...
" on Series 4. - The song was sung on Australian IdolAustralian IdolAustralian Idol is a Logie Award-winning Australian singing competition, which began its first season on July 2003 and ended its run in November 2009. As part of the Idol franchise, Australian Idol originated from the reality program Pop Idol, which was created by British entertainment executive...
season 6 by Sophie Paterson during ABBA week.
Sampling, references, appearances in other media, etc.
- In 2005, it was sampledSampling (music)In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
by MadonnaMadonna (entertainer)Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
, who used it on her worldwide huge hit "Hung UpHung Up"Hung Up" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was written and produced in collaboration with Stuart Price, and released as the first single from her tenth studio album, Confessions on a Dance Floor. Initially used in a number of television advertisements and serials, the song was...
". Madonna is said to have sent a letter to Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus asking to use the song as a sample, since the Swedish songwriting duo are reluctant to let other artists sample their material. It was only the second time that an ABBA track had been officially sampled, the first being the Fugees in 1996 with their hit "Rumble in the Jungle", sampling part of 1977's "The Name of the GameThe Name of the Game"The Name of the Game" is a 1977 song by Swedish pop group ABBA, and was released as the first single from the group's fifth studio album, The Album...
". - The Tamperer featuring Maya sampled it for their song Hammer to the Heart.
- "Ooh, Yes I DoOoh, Yes I DoOoh, Yes I Do is the ninth single by Dutch girl group Luv', released in the autumn of 1979 by CNR/Carrere Records. This song appears on the formation's third studio album True Luv'. It was a successful hit record in Benelux and Denmark and reached the Top 50 in Germany and France...
", a single by Dutch girl group Luv'Luv'Luv is a Dutch pop girl group that scored a string of hit records in Continental Europe as well as South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Mexico in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In 1979, Luv' was "Holland's best export act" and thus received the "Conamus Export Prize"...
, uses a melody inspired by the flute theme of the song. - A ringtone called "Cool Chick" uses the rhythm of the song. It was released in many Siemens phones like Siemens AX72Siemens AX72The Siemens AX72 is a mobile phone introduced by Siemens in October, 2005. It weighs 79 g and its dimensions are 105,6 x 46,8 x 17,5 mm . Its display a CSTN 65K colors LCD....
. - The British sitcom "Gimme Gimme Gimme (TV series)" uses this song as its title theme.
External links
- Video of the song being recorded (from Abba's official website)